Air grille



May l2, 1942.

c. D. GRAHAM AIR GRILLE Filed May 3l, 1939 K 2 sheets-sheetv 2 y:sz

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ZZ 1NVENTOR. WMWQJQ 'HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES APATEN'I oFFlcE AIR GRILLE Charles D. Graham, Dayton, Ohio, assgnor ,to

General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application Mayvl, 1939, Serial No. 276,561

7 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to an air grille for use in directing the flow of conditioned air.

One object of this inventionis to provide a grille which is inexpensive to manufacture and which functions in an improved manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grille through which air may be discharged Without producing any objectionable noises.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement for adjustably holding the air deflector members of an air grille in position. v

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective showing an air conditioning cabinet provided with a pair of grilles;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the grille;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the mounting for one end of an air deflector;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified arrangement;

Fig. 'I is an elevational view of the grille shown in Fig. 6; and

, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the mounting means for the air deectors.

Fig. 9 shows a further modification of the mounting means for the air deflectors.

In order to provide a practical air grille through which a blast of air may be discharged without producing objectionable noises, I have devised an improved grille generally designated by the reference character IU which comprises a main frame I2 which supports a first set of air deecting vanes I4 and a second set of vanes I6 arranged transversely with respect to the first set of vanes. In order to make it possible to more accurately control the ilow of air through the grille, each vane is separately mounted and may be individually adjusted. In order to individually mount each vane I have provided a plurality of recesses I8 in the side walls of the main frame I2, and in each recess I have placed a rubber washer 20 which serves to support the trunnion I3 of a vane. The rubber washer 20 provides the necessary friction whereby the vane may be moved to any position and will be retained in that position by friction. The rubber washer 20 also serves to deaden any vibrations which may be set up in the vane. The vanes may be assembled by distorting the various elements enough to slip the vanes in place. The vanes, the frame I2 andthe rubber Washers 20 are all capable of being slightly distorted during assembly.

The main frame I2 is provided with a ange 22 which is covered by means of a rubber or rubber-like substance 24. It has been found that by coating the flange 22 with the material 24 the flange 22 is prevented from sweating. In the old type of grille the temperature of the flange surrounding th conditioned air outlet was suinciently low to cause moisture from the relatively Warm air in the room to condense on the flange. Inasmuch as the conditioned air leaving the cabinet is relatively cool and has had much'of its moisture removed before coming in contact with the main part of the grille and grille frame, there is no tendency for moisture to collect on that portion of the grille and grille frame disposed Within the cabinet or in the path of the conditioned air. However, unless some insulating coating is provided on that portion of the grille frame which is exposed to the relatively warm. room air, moisture will condense thereon. A sponge rubber gasket 2'6 may be arranged between the flange 22 and the top wall of the cabinet 28, although the rubber coating 22 alone serves as a gasket.

In Figs. 6 through 8, I have shown a slightly modified arrangement in which the vanes are held in place by means of spring fingers 30 provided on the longitudinally extending spring elements 32 provided on the sides of the main A frame 33. Each spring element 32, as shown in Fig. '7, extends substantially the full length of the grille frame and is supported on the outside f of the grille frame by means of screws 34. The spring element 32 has been provided with a plurality of slots 36 whereby each trunnion is pivotally mounted in a separate spring nger 30. In each of these modifications the vanes may be individually adjusted and will remain in adjusted position.

By virtue of my improved arrangement, a veryV of restriction to the flow of air through the grille and to permit the air to flow through the grille Without loosing any objectionable noise.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a still further modication in which a resilient rubber or rubber-like coating 50 has been provided on the main frame 52 and in which the coating extends Within the frame member far enough to coat the inside surfaces of the depressions 54 which frictionally hold the air deiiecting vanes 55 in adjusted position. The vanes 56 are provided with rounded trunnions 58 which fit within the depressions 54 as shown. Otherwise, th'e grille shown in Fig. 9 is the same as the other grilles disclosed herein.

The arrangements shown in the first and last described modifications are especially desirable not only from the standpoint of cost but also from the standpoint of service.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of tht.l claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A grille comprising, in combination, a frame member, a plurality of depressions arranged in said frame member, rubber Washers disposed in said depressions, and air deiiecting vanes pivotally supported by said washers.

2. An air grille comprising, in combination, a main frame having oppositely disposed side walls, recesses in said walls,`a coating of resilient material bonded to a portion of said walls including said recesses, and air deiiecting vanes having trunnions frictionally held in place within said recesses by the aid of said resilient material.

3. An air grille adapted to be mounted in the discharge opening of an air conditioning apparatus comprising, a main frame having a portion extending into said opening, said frame having a ange portion outside said opening, a coating of resilient heat insulating material on a porf means supported by said frame for directing the flow of air through said grille.

5. In combination, an air cooling cabinet disposed Within a room, an opening in one wall of said cabinet through which refrigerated air is adapted to be discharged, an air grille supported Within said opening comprising a main frame, a plurality of air deecting members pivotally mounted in said main frame, yieldable non-metallic material resiliently supporting said air deflecting members so as to adjustably hold said air deecting members in predetermined positions, and a coating of heat insulating material on a portion of said frame insulating said frame from said cabinet and the air in said room.

6. A grille comprising in combination, a frame member, a plurality of depressions arranged in said frame member, resilient washers disposed in said depressions, and air deflecting vanes pivotally supported by said washers.

'7. In combination, a frame member through which refrigerated air is adapted to discharge into a room in which the dew point temperature of the air is above the temperature of the refrigeratedair discharging into said room, said frame member having a portion exposed to air from said room, a coating of heat insulating material on said exposed portion of said frame member, said heat insulating material serving to prevent condensation of moisture from said room air onto said frame member.

CHARLES D. GRAHAM. 

